


a promise

by eddiefuckinkaspbrak



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Canon Compliant, Eddie is still dead, I'm Sorry, IT Chapter Two Spoilers, M/M, Post-Movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 17:10:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20549729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eddiefuckinkaspbrak/pseuds/eddiefuckinkaspbrak
Summary: At the Barrens, Richie makes a promise.





	a promise

It was dark by the time anyone even moved from the body pile they had created in the water. The moon was shining against the water of the Quarry, casting a glow over the losers as they slowly came back to their senses. Bill was the first to move, slipping away from Richie’s legs, making the water ripple. His movements jolted everyone and they all spread out, floating away from Richie. 

The cold was seeping into his bones now, but Richie couldn’t move. He didn’t  _ want _ to move. Moving would mean facing the reality of what had just happened mere hours ago. Moving would mean coming to terms with the fact that the love of his life, his first love, was gone. 

Richie wasn’t ready to face that fact yet. He wasn’t ready to accept that his love was dead before he even got the chance  _ to _ love him. At least, not in the way he so desperately wanted to. 

So many thoughts were running through Richie’s mind. So many what ifs. What if he had just told Eddie how he felt at the restaurant? What if he had gone to Eddie’s room? What if, what if, what if. 

“Richie, are you coming?” Bev’s voice broke through his thoughts and he looked up, his eyes still blurry from crying. She was on the banking now, her short red hair soaked and plastered to the side of her face. The blood that had covered her skin had washed away, but some of it still stained her shirt. 

He shook his head. “Go on without me. I’ll...be there soon.”

Bill stared at Richie for a moment longer, opening his mouth to say something, probably to argue, but Bev stopped him with a shake of her head. No words were spoken, but Bill eventually sighed and nodded his head, turning and making his way to the path that would lead back to town. 

“We’ll be at the Town House, if you need us,” Bev spoke softly and Richie could only nod his head. He would find them when he was ready. Right now, he just wanted to be on his own. 

Richie watched as the remaining four losers disappeared from his sight, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He had no idea how long he sat there, alone in the cold waters of the Derry Quarry. Richie knew he had to get up, he had to face the truth and make a start at moving on, just like the rest of the losers were doing. He had to  _ try. _

Finally, Richie forced his head up, looking back over the banking, and his heart stopped at the sight. There, standing right on the edge of the banking, looking just like he remembered him, was Stan. He looked no older than sixteen, just like he had the day he moved away from Derry with his parents. 

_ I’m dreaming _ . Richie though, closing his eyes and shaking his head.  _ This is my mind playing tricks on me.  _

“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.” Young Stan spoke and Richie jumped, his eyes opening again. Stan was still there, this time smirking at him, his eyes making that eye-roll that he used to do when Richie talked too much. “What matters is that I'm here, and that it’s okay.”

Richie swallowed, fresh tears filling up in his eyes. He was still too scared to move though, scared that if he so much as shifted, Stan would vanish. “S-Stan?”

“I’m sorry, Richie. For everything I made you guys go through. I just...I couldn’t do it. I’m sorry. You were so brave though, you know that right? All of you were.” Stans words were heavy and Richie had to choke back a sob. 

“B-But...Eddie.” He stammered and Stan turned his head towards the tree line. Richie stared after him, his heart beating a million seconds per minute and he thought he was going to vomit when the trees moved. A few seconds passed and there was was. Eddie Kaspbrak. Sixteen again, just like Richie remembered him from his youth. “Eds…”

“It’s okay Richie,” Eddie whispered, his hands resting on the fanny pack that was secure around his waist. Upon closer inspection, Richie could see it was the same one he gave him for his fourteenth birthday. “You did really great down there, and I’m okay. I’m with Stan now and we’re okay.”

Richie shook his head, his lower lip trembling, “You didn’t have to die, Eds! Neither of you did. We were all meant to live! We’re the lucky seven!” The more he spoke, the louder his words became, mixed with more tears trailing down his cheeks. “You weren’t meant to die…”

“Sometimes, things don’t work out the way we want them too,” Stan replied, his voice softer, as though he was trying to calm Richie down. “You’re going to be okay Richie.”

Suddenly, Richie looked up at Eddie, his eyes wide, “We left you there, in the sewers….we left you there to rot!”

“Richie, it’s alright. I’m not...I’m not mad at you. Any of you. I’m not in a dark place, I’m with Stan. We have our own special place and one day, when the time is right, you’ll be here too. With us. We’ll be together again, just like we were meant to be in life.”

Another sob, a choked one this time, left Richie’s lips. “It’s not fair,” he whispered. “I love you.”

Eddie smiled, soft and sweet, “I know, and I love you too. I always have, I was just too scared to say anything. Don’t worry though, we’ll be together again soon. Just...not  _ too _ soon okay? Promise me Richie.”

Richie’s lower lip wobbled and he looked back and forth between his best friend and the love of his life. Slowly, he nodded his head, a sense of...calm washing over him. “I promise.”

“I’ll be okay Richie,” Eddie whispered once more, and it almost felt like his voice was right next to Richie. “I’m okay, you get let go now.”

Richie squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. This time though, when he opened them, Eddie and Stan were gone. 

It took him a few minutes to stand up and get out of the water, his body shaking with the cold. He had to find the other losers, be with them. They were his remaining support and he needed them as much as they needed him. 

Tomorrow, he would pay the kissing bridge a visit. For one last goodbye. It was okay though, he’d see Eddie again soon. 

Not too soon though, after all, he made a promise. 


End file.
